Committee

Steering Committee

Lola Greeno

Lola Greeno was born on Cape Barren Island. She later moved to Flinders Island to live.  Greeno lived on Flinders until 1972 when she moved to Launceston to improve access to education. In 1997, Greeno completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of Tasmania in Launceston. Since graduating, Greeno has developed her knowledge and skills though a traineeship at the University of Tasmania Gallery Launceston and as a participant in an internship program at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra.

Lola Greeno is a well known Tasmanian Aboriginal shell worker, sculptor, installation artist and fibre artist who also works as a curator and is the Program Officer, Aboriginal Arts at Arts Tasmania.

Greeno’s work has been exhibited widely throughout Australia including the 2000 Adelaide Biennial Exhibition Beyond the Pale at the Art Gallery of South Australia. Greeno interviewed eleven Tasmanian Aboriginal Elders for the oral History project As we Remember, Aboriginal Education, Hobart and worked on the Bringing Them Home project for the National Library of Australia. Greeno’s work is represented in State, National and private collections including the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, The National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, the Campbelltown Gallery, NSW, the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, Launceston, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Hobart, National Maritime Museum, Sydney, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane and the National Museum of Australia, Canberra.

Her work includes co-curating the Tasmanian work in Woven Forms exhibition,that toured Australia. Producing and directing a Film on the Tasmanian Aboriginal shell necklace makers Our marerlopepetar-our story. Greeno is currently working in partnership project with curator Dr Julie Gough at the Tasmanian Museum and art Gallery and the National Museum of Australia in Canberra. Lola was the facilitator for the basket weaving workshops and a forum in preparation for the tayenebe –Tasmanian Aboriginal women’s fibre work exhibition currently touring the Australia.

Julie Gough

Julie Gough was born in 1965 in St Kilda, Victoria and lives in Hobart, Tasmania. Gough began art studies in 1991 completing a B.A in Visual Arts at Curtin University in 1993. The following year Gough relocated to Tasmania, the homeland of her maternal Tasmania Aboriginal ancestors, where she completed B.A. Visual Arts, Honours, 1st Class in 1994 at the University of Tasmania, School of Art in Hobart. The award of a Samstag Scholarship enabled her to complete in 1998 a M.A. in Visual Arts at Goldsmith’s College, University of London. In 2001 Gough was awarded a PhD Visual Arts from the University of Tasmania. (Transforming histories: The visual disclosure of contentious pasts). A previous degree in Prehistory and English Literature (B.A. University of West Australia, 1986) intensified her ongoing interest in archival research and recovering history.

Gough’s first major exhibiting opportunity was in Perspecta 1995 at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. The following year she held her first solo exhibition, Dark Secrets/Home Truths, at Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi in Melbourne. Recent exhibitions include RIVERS RUN (solo), Cairns Regional Gallery, 2010; Look Out, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, 2010; Clemenger Contemporary Art Award, NGV, 2009-10; Redlands Westpac Art Prize, Mosman Gallery, 2009; Fugitive History (solo), Bett Gallery, Hobart, 2008; The Ranger (Solo), South Australian School of Art Gallery, University of South Australia 2007; Interrupted – Renditions of unresolved accounts (solo), Turner Galleries, Perth, 2007; Musselroe Bay (solo), Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne, 2007; Thresholds of Tolerance, ANU, 2007; An Other Place, Long Gallery, Hobart, 2007; Power and Beauty – Indigenous Art Now, Heide Museum of Modern Art, Melbourne, 2007-08; 70% Urban, National Museum of Australia, Canberra, 2007; Zones of Contact – Biennale of Sydney, 2006; Tamworth Textile Biennial, 2006; Trace, Liverpool Biennale, UK, 1999.

Currently Adjunct Principal Research Fellow, School of Creative Arts, James Cook University, Townsville, Gough has most recently been employed as guest curator at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (Tayenebe – Tasmanian Aboriginal women’s fibre work, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, 2009 and touring nationally 2010-2011) and Linden – St Kilda Centre for Contemporary Arts (The Haunted and the Bad, 2008). Previous employment includes Lecturer, Creative Arts at James Cook University, Townsville (2005 – 06); Curator, Indigenous Art, National Gallery of Victoria (2003 – 04); Lecturer, Aboriginal studies, Riawunna, Centre for Aboriginal Studies, University of Tasmania (2002 – 03); Interpretation Officer, Aboriginal Culture, Parks and Wildlife Service, Hobart (2000 – 01).

In 2006 Julie was awarded a two year Fellowship from the Visual Arts and Crafts Board of the Australia Council, a State Library of Victoria Creative Fellowship, and a State Library of Tasmania Fellowship. In 2009, a Manning Clark House Residential Fellowship enabled Gough to transcribe and publish online more than 362,000 words of Van Diemen’s Land depositions from 1820-1860 held in the National Library of Australia. Gough regularly publishes on art and Australian history, and has been awarded various art prizes (most recently the Redlands Prize in November 2009) and scholarships and undertaken art residencies across Australia, and in Mauritius, New York and Paris (2001-2002). Gough’s artwork is held in the collections of Artbank, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Art Gallery of South Australia, Art Gallery of West Australia, City of Port Phillip, David Walsh Collection, Devonport Regional Gallery, Flinders University collection, Janet Holmes à Court collection, Margaret Levi & Robert D. Kaplan collection, Mildura Arts Centre, Murdoch University, National Gallery of Australia, National Gallery of Victoria, National Museum of Australia, Parliament House, Powerhouse Museum, Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery Launceston, State Library of Queensland, State Library of Tasmania, Tamworth Regional Gallery, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery. Julie Gough is represented by Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne; Bett Gallery, Hobart; Turner Galleries, Perth.

Tony Brown

Tony is a descendant of Manalargenna, a leader of the Trawlwoolway people. He was born on Flinders Island in 1957 but grew up on Cape Barren Island just off the north–eastern tip of Tasmania. From the age of twelve Tony attended school in Launceston.

After leaving school Tony spent a number of years living and working on Cape Barren Island, Launceston and mainland Australia, before eventually moving to Hobart where he worked for the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centres, Health Service.

In 1997 Tony gained a position at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) where he started as a Trainee curator, before working his way up to be Senior Curator of Indigenous Cultures, a position he currently holds.

Tony has served on many boards over the years, having served as a State Committee member for the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre, the Tasmanian Aboriginal Land and Sea Council, (current), Arts Tas, State Bi–Centenary Committee, Chair of the Tasmania Aboriginal Bi–Centenary Committee, Aboriginal Arts Advisory Committee, the Design Centre rrala manta manta Aboriginal Advisory Committee (current) and the TMAG Aboriginal Advisory Council (current).

Tony has a double major Arts Degree in History and Aboriginal Studies from the University of Tasmania.

Tony considers his biggest achievements at TMAG are the development of ningenneh tunapry the Tasmanian Aboriginal Gallery and the cultural revival of building Tasmanian Aboriginal bark canoes. Tony is currently working on two major TMAG Redevelopment projects.

Zoe Rimmer

A descendant of Manalargenna, a leader of the Trawlwoolway people, Zoe Rimmer was born in 1982 and grew up on Tasmania’s north-west coast. After a brief stint overseas, Zoe has lived and worked in Hobart for the past eight years.

In 2003 Zoe completed a traineeship at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG). Through a cadetship at TMAG she also graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Arts at the University of Tasmania in 2006 and was awarded the Riawunna Aboriginal Studies Prize.

Zoe considers her biggest achievements while working at TMAG as assisting with the development of the Tasmanian Aboriginal Gallery Ningeneh Tunapry, coordinating the repatriation of ancestral remains through the Return of Indigenous Culture Property program and assisting with cultural revival projects such as the bark canoe project.

Zoe also has experience in Aboriginal heritage management having previously worked at Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania as a Senior Aboriginal Heritage Advisor. She currently holds a position at TMAG as Registration Officer (Repatriation) within the Indigenous Cultures Section.

Zoe has been on a number of advisory committees, including Arts Tasmania’s Aboriginal Arts Advisory Committee, TMAG’s Aboriginal Advisory Council and the Design Centre’s rrala manta manta Aboriginal Steering Committee. Zoe is passionate about protecting and promoting Aboriginal culture, heritage and arts. She is a beginner basket weaver, with work in the Tayenebe exhibition which is now part of the National Museum of Australia (NMA) and TMAG collections. For Zoe, part of the importance and enjoyment of weaving and other cultural activities is the ‘coming together’ of Community; sharing stories, knowledge and spirit, particularly with respected Elders.

Coordinator/ Curator

Ally Green

Ally graduated from the University of Tasmania, School of Visual and performing arts in 2005 with a Bachelor of Contemporary Arts (Hons.). She has worked at the Design Centre Tasmania in a variety of roles including co-coordinator, assistant curator and co-contributor for the Skullduggery: Resolve exhibition in 2006 and coordinating the One to One contemporary jewellery exhibition for the Design Centre retail shop in 2008. She has also been involved in local art organisations including the Arts Alive fundraising committee and has exhibited in a number of group exhibitions; her work touring in the 2007 Material Girl exhibition and the Design Centre’s 2008 The Pocket Show.

‘Being chosen to work on the ‘rrala manta manta: strong; long way, long time’ has been a privilege and an honour. I think understanding and appreciating the sensitive and diverse Tasmanian Aboriginal culture should be integral to all Tasmanians. Theirs is the story of our beloved state told through the stories of a people with millennia of insight and understanding of this land.’

Development Director, Design Forum Tasmania

Melanie Kershaw

Melanie is the Development Director for Design Forum Tasmania, and has worked for the Design Centre – Tasmania since 2007.

Melanie graduated from the University of Tasmania in 2004 with a Bachelor of Contemporary Art (Honours) degree, specialising in Arts Management.

In 2004 and 2005 Melanie managed the Powerhouse Gallery & Artspace student centre, and has worked for the University of Tasmania as the Fine Art Collection Officer, and Marketing and Promotions Officer.

Since graduating, Melanie has curated several exhibitions and managed numerous projects, including the 2004 National Tertiary Art Prize, the 2009 and 2010 Design Centre Maker’s Markets, and the 2009 University of Tasmania End of Year Graduation exhibition.

rrala manta manta: strong; long way, long time has been a fulfilling and educational experience. Melanie is especially thankful to the participants for their passion, and for sharing their stories with the wider community through their artwork.